The present invention generally relates to an actuator for protective roll bar installed in certain types of motor vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to an actuator with a locking device adapted for mounting on a protective roll bar installed on at least one side of the occupant compartment inside a motor vehicle provided with a roll cage which enables the protective roll bar to be moved to an open position and returned to a locked closed position.
Passenger motor vehicles with a high vertical profile and those used in rugged terrain or in racing competitions have an increased susceptibility to rolling over, thereby subjecting the vehicle occupants to a high risk of injury. Therefore, attempts have been made in recent years to equip some of such vehicles with protective roll bars on the side of the occupant compartment in the interior of the vehicle for the primary purpose of preventing the occupants from being thrown out of the vehicle through the open side during a roll-over. Conversely, the absence of a protective roll bar on the side of such vehicles subjects the occupants to an even higher risk of serious injury. The same is true when the protective roll bar structure is mounted inside the roof and side walls of a vehicle, for example a racing type vehicle having a hard top. During a roll-over accident, the vehicle doors frequently fly open. Thus when there are no protective roll bars on the side of a vehicle, a potential risk of serious and sometimes fatal injury to the occupants exists. The main reason why many motor vehicles have not been equipped with a protective roll bar on the side of the driver and passenger side is the inconvenience of being forced to climb over the roll bar each time the occupant of the vehicle has to get in or out therefrom.
Consequently, a need exists for a protective roll bar structure capable of being moved easily to an open position to allow the occupant to enter or get out from the vehicle conveniently without having to climb over the side roll bar and also being capable of being moved back to a locked closed position thereby offering the protective function of an objectionable stationary roll bar. The device of this invention provides a new approach to the structure of protective roll bars as it includes certain new and distinct features not heretofore known in the art.